Winter Sowing Time!

I have been absent from my blog for a while and I need to get back in the swing of things again. Happy New Year to everyone! My first blog of the new year is about Winter Sowing. I tried this technique of seed starting last year for the first time. I was pretty successful with my first attempt. The seedlings were definitely healthy and strong. I could not believe the size of the roots when I transplanted the various seedlings. The rule is you can start winter sowing any time after the Winter Solstice, which is December 21. I waited last year until the beginning of January to start my first phase of winter sowing and I started with my cold hardy crops first. Last year I started the first phase with broccoli, Swiss chard, Pak Choi, kohlrabi and cabbage. The broccoli and kohlrabi both sprouted by the end of January. This year I will be winter sowing broccoli, cabbage, Chinese cabbage, cauliflower and onions. I will be starting the next phase in the beginning of February. I will be winter sowing tomatoes, borage, pansies and dill. The third phase will start the beginning of March and I will be planting heading lettuce, celery, zinnias, sunflowers, nasturtium and marigolds. The great thing about winter sowing is that you don't have to worry about hardening off the plants because they were exposed to the outside from the beginning! If you would like to read more about Winter Sowing you can check out my post from last year or go to wintersown.org.

So far I have winter sown my broccoli and onions, tomorrow I will be sowing my cabbage, cauliflower and Chinese cabbage.